Today I offer one photo for this week’s photo challenge.
It was taken after a spur of the moment meeting with my dad for lunch. A rare opportunity to get together for a bite with just enough time to enjoy our meal, tell a story or two and laugh.

I had a few different ideas up in the air for this week’s photo challenge. I thought of a messy bed, a mess of tangled hair, messy kitchen, a mess of laundry… But this morning while going through images I returned to this and decided that I’m picking it for sentimental reasons. It will always remind me of sitting, talking, and laughing over lunch with my dad on a Friday afternoon despite a “mess” of a day with appointments, tight schedules, traffic and all the other weight of the world around us.
Thanks for hangin’ out with me dad. And thanks to Red Wells for the fabulous grub!

Now it is time for you to head over to the Flickr group to see all of the other “mess” captures. I’m heading there myself and soon after I will be starting a bathroom remodel that will more than likely bring all sorts of mess to my world. A glutton for punishment I am.

With week’s theme being “large” I carried my trusty camera with me as Mr. Riddle and I visited the large city of Chicago. This trip was planned to visit a Vivian Maier exhibit on display at the Chicago Cultural Center. It was a great trip and the CCC was so much more than we had expected. I highly recommended a stop there if you ever get a chance to visit the windy city.

Everywhere I looked there was “large”. From sculptures to skyscrapers, it was quite easy to find this week’s theme.

Upon coming home and uploading all of my shots I knew right away which one I wanted to submit. Surprisingly it wasn’t one of the world’s largest skyscrapers or the largest “bean shaped” sculpture. I’m gonna break my own rule here and tell you now which one I’m adding to the group. It was this one of my husband…

Yes, he was so happy to be holding the world’s largest Hershey bar. How could I not choose it? A close friend who knows Mr. Riddle’s obsession with chocolate asked me, “Did you find the world’s largest jar of peanut butter to go with it?” As matter of fact we did. Costco’s sells it in a two pack.

Now, it is your turn to visit the Flickr pool to see the other “large” captures. Even though you know which one I picked, you should still visit and check out the wonderfulness over there.

This week’s photo challenge theme was “white.”
When it was introduced last Wednesday all the snow that had existed in my part of the world had been melted and washed away by rain and warm weather. The only white stuff left was in small piles here and there that I heard someone refer to as “snirt.” Yes, snow and dirt mixed together. I’m not sure I like that made up word despite the fact that it makes sense.

With the snow gone my thinking was I would have to look elsewhere for white. But, being Ohio, I was not surprised when another round of winter weather came our way. Thank you mother nature…

Even though I was happy to have fresh snow outside, it was the shots I took inside I’m happier with.
Yes, “white” is everywhere, but the challenge is picking which “white” to capture.

Decisions, decisions…
Thankfully I have willing children and pets to pose at my request. Those chocolate chip, oatmeal cookies? Let’s just say I had to eat my “unfair” share to get them to cooperate.

Drumroll, please……. Now, my friends, you know what to do. Take that cursor of yours, click on the following link: and visit the photo challenge group’s Flickr page. While it’s loading take a guess at which one I’ve submitted and enjoy the other wonderful “white” captures.

This week’s photo challenge was “fear.”
Oh, the fears I have. Fear of dying, fear of failing, fear of time passing, fear of tragedy….
In the simplest forms, fear of gray hair, a flat tire when you’re in a hurry, a cooking recipe that disappoints, housework… The list can go on and on.
And over the years the things that scare me have changed. Things that I was afraid of once don’t seem so bad now-a-days. Like roller coasters, penguins (don’t ask) and sushi.
Yet, there is one fear that has plagued me since I was a little girl. Except for a few years in my twenties when I used my bed without a frame, I have always been afraid of things under my bed. In fact, my bed side lamp solves this problem every night. No flicking the light switch and running to leap into the bed for me. No, Mr. Riddle wouldn’t appreciate that very much. Instead, I push a button and I’m snug in bed when the room becomes dark and the beings under my box-spring awaken.

Now I know if I actually lift the bed-skirt and look under there I will find nothing but dust bunnies and possibly a lost slipper or sock. Also, if woken in the middle of the night, I don’t even bother with the sad routine of making sure the lamp is on. How much sense does that make?
When I wake to let the dog out or check on a crying child with nightmares the act of walking right up to my bed in the dark without worrying about what’s under it is usually not an issue. The way I see it, I’m half awake. If they’re gonna get me, I surrender.

Maybe what’s under my bed is the total collection of all of my fears. All of those listed above and then some. So at night when it’s been a long day and the last thing I do before drifting to sleep is reach over and turn off that light, I’m aware that my fears from the day, the ones I’ve yet to tackle or face, are just waiting for me. To confront them at a time when I’m tired, thin skinned and weary is not an option.
Yup. I’m thinkin’ this is where those monsters live. Under my bed.

Now, you know what to do… Go ahead and visit the group page to see all of the other “fear” submissions. So much good stuff there.
As far as seeing which one I’m submitting, well, it’s a no-brainer this week.

This week’s photo challenge should have been a no brainer for me. Especially as I knitted away the day inside as the temps around here have been dropping to single digits and at the end of last week we were the lucky recipients of more snow after the storm on Wednesday.
Knit, purl, knit purl, knit, purl, knit, knit, knit, knit……
Of course I saw repetition everywhere. But nothing made me want to grab my camera and capture it. Before you knew it, Wednesday was here and I had nothing. With a capital -ING.
So, while I sat this morning knitting and thinking I realized that repetition was in my hands, on my needles and in the pattern I was following. Knit, knit, knit, purl, knit, purl, knit…
And though I was unsure of how I wanted to capture this repetition, I knew that it was all I wanted to even attempt.

I am a knitter. I’ve taught in the past and honestly believe that anyone can learn how to knit. Really, anyone. If you don’t believe me, let’s get together. I promise, in an hour, you’ll be knitting the garter stitch. Disclaimer: You must live within a 50 mile radius of me for this offer. All others, we can talk, I charge for travel time. :)
I knit because it calms me. The repetition does wonders for an unfocused wandering mind like mine. Often, if I’m feeling moody, brooding, or have a problem totally unrelated to the actual skill of knitting, all I need to do is knit for bit, sometimes longer, and stitch by stitch, the repeating motions help me reevaluate, recharge, and reconsider the problem at hand.

Once again, for this ex-smoker, former nail biter, nervous fidgeter, and scatter brained, amateur photographer, knitting saved the day.
And now without any further ado, it is time to click on this link:shutterboo’s WPC 2011.
Take a peek at all of this week’s submissions and see which one I picked to add to the group.

For this week’s photo challenge theme the strategy was to go with the most obvious definition: a public notice. Yet, I had hoped to find at least one common everyday sign we see in a different perspective.
Right away the stars were in line when I spotted my first “sign” while out to dinner with the family…

On the way home, while the other Riddle passengers dozed, I sat (safely) at an intersection and waited for a vehicle to pass so I could get another capture. Unfortunately the cars behind me weren’t so patient and I settled for what I got…

The only planned shots were of a sign posted at a girl scout camp in Defiance, Ohio. A previous visit placed it in my memory bank. A scheduled event over the weekend placed it in my viewfinder…

Lastly, a sign that isn’t necessarily seen by all, but is well known to us postal employees…

So, there you go. My “sign” captures. Now, you know what to do. Head on over to the http://www.flickr.com/groups/shutterboowpc2011/ to see which one I submitted and to get a look at all of creative goodness in that group. I’m heading there myself.
Then, later today, we Riddles are hoping to head out and revisit a sign that I captured last October…

Considering the weather in my part of the country, I’m sure it will look very different. We’ll see. It just might have to be today’s 365riddle photo.
Stay tuned…

Color. Have you ever looked the word up in the dictionary?
I did. Just before starting this blog post I typed it in to the iMac’s dictionary…

color |ˈkələr| ( Brit. colour)
noun
1 the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or emits light : the lights flickered and changed color.
• one, or any mixture, of the constituents into which light can be separated in a spectrum or rainbow, sometimes including (loosely) black and white : a rich brown color | a range of bright colors.
• the use of all colors, not only black, white, and gray, in photography or television : he has shot the whole film in color | [as adj. ] color television.
• a substance used to give something a particular color : lip color.
• figurative a shade of meaning : many events in her past had taken on a different color.
• figurative character or general nature : the hospitable color of his family.
• Heraldry any of the major conventional colors used in coats of arms (gules, vert, sable, azure, purpure), esp. as opposed to the metals, furs, and stains.
2 the appearance of someone’s skin; in particular
• pigmentation of the skin, esp. as an indication of someone’s race : discrimination on the basis of color.
• a group of people considered as being distinguished by skin pigmentation : all colors and nationalities.
• rosiness of the complexion, esp. as an indication of someone’s health : there was some color back in his face.
• redness of the face as a manifestation of an emotion, esp. embarrassment or anger : color flooded her skin as she realized what he meant.
3 vividness of visual appearance resulting from the presence of brightly colored things : for color, plant groups of winter-flowering pansies.
• figurative picturesque or exciting features that lend a particularly interesting quality to something : a town full of color and character.
• figurative variety of musical tone or expression : orchestral color.
4 ( colors) an item or items of a particular color or combination of colors worn to identify an individual or a member of a school, group, or organization; in particular
• the clothes or accoutrements worn by a jockey or racehorse to indicate the horse’s owner.
• the flag of a regiment or ship.
• a national flag.
• the armed forces of a country, as symbolized by its flag : he was called to the colors during the war.
5 Physics a quantized property of quarks which can take three values (designated blue, green, and red) for each flavor.
6 Mining a particle of gold remaining in a mining pan after most of the mud and gravel have been washed away.
verb
1 [ trans. ] change the color of (something) by painting or dyeing it with crayons, paints, or dyes.
• [ intrans. ] take on a different color : the foliage will not color well if the soil is too rich.
• use crayons to fill (a particular shape or outline) with color : color the head, eyes, and bill with crayons.
• figurative make vivid or picturesque : he has colored the dance with gestures from cabaret and vaudeville.
2 [ intrans. ] (of a person or their skin) show embarrassment or shame by becoming red; blush : everyone stared at him, and he colored slightly.
• [ trans. ] cause (a person or their skin) to change in color : rage colored his pale complexion.
• [ trans. ] (of a particular color) imbue (a person’s skin) : a faint pink flush colored her cheeks.
• [ trans. ] figurative (of an emotion) imbue (a person’s voice) with a particular tone : surprise colored her voice.
3 [ trans. ] influence, esp. in a negative way; distort : the experiences had colored her whole existence.
• misrepresent by distortion or exaggeration : witnesses might color evidence to make a story saleable.
PHRASES
lend (or give) color to make something seem true or probable : this lent color and credibility to his defense.
person of color see person of color .
show one’s true colors reveal one’s real character or intentions, esp. when these are disreputable or dishonorable.
under color of under the pretext of.
with flying colors see flying .
ORIGIN Middle English (as colo(u)r): from Old French colour (noun), colourer (verb), from Latin color (noun), colorare (verb).

Whoa, Mr. computer.

And here all I did was take a picture of breakfast…

and the littlest Riddle’s nail polish.

I’m okay with that. Especially ’cause those Froot Loops were on sale. For a mom who doesn’t usually buy sugary cereal, I got a twofer… happy kids and a photo challenge shot out of it.

Next week is umm… “sign”. Yes, that’s it. For now head on over to the Flickr group to see the other “color” submissions. I’m gonna go check it out myself.